Device for feeding melting-pots.



No. 848,868. PATENTED APR. 2, 1907.

E. IRAMA. DEVICE FOR FEEDING MELTING POTS.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 14, 1906.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

i A. 215: Ignaz:

Minessey; 70M in No 848,868. PATENTED APR. 2; 1907.

E. TRAMA.

DEVICE FOR FEEDING MEETING POTS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14, 1905.

v 6 SHBETSSHBET 2.

I G O 9 Q Flgfi.

PATENTED APR. 2, 1907.

' I EPTRAMA.

DEVICE FOR FEEDING MELTING POTS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14, 1906.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Fig. 4.

- Luz n51 Now 18,868. PATENTED APR. 2, 1907.

E. TRAMA. DEVICE FOR FEEDING MELTING POTS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14, 1905.

6 SHEETSSHBET 4 1m LL nu i.

No. 848,868. I PATENTED APR. 2, 1907.

' I E. TRAMA.

DEVICE FOR FEEDING MELTING POTS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14. 1905.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

Um TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE TRAMA, OF MARSEILLE, FRANCE.

DEVICE FOR FEEDING MELTING-POTS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 2, 1907.

Application filed July 14,1905. Serial No. 269.752.

n linotypemachines the molten metal used for forming the lines iscontained in a metal-pot, out of which it is forced at the required timeby means of a pump-plunger, which drives the metal into the mold formedby the collected ,ma'trices. For the satisfactory,working of the machineit is indispensable that the temperature of the metal contained themetalot should be neither too high nor too low. f the temperature of themolten metalistoo high, the hue adheres to the mold 'and cannot bedetached therefrom by the ejector. If one or two blocks of metal beadded to that which is in the metalpot, such fresh metal being cold willhave the effect of congeal-ing the molten metal. The consequence of thisis that the'plunger cannot force the metal into the mold. Now the oerator sometimes forgets to put metal into t e metal-pot at the requiredmoment or puts in too much of it at once. In the first case the moltenmetal becomes too hot. In the second case. it congeals.

All the disadvantages well known to opera- 1 tors which arise from thesudden variatlons of the temperature of the molten metal in themetal-pot may be avoided by means of the automatic feed device whichforms the object of the present invention. Owing to the employment ofthis device, the metal enters the metal-pot automatically according torequirements. This device is provided with a magazine which contains,for, example, the

quantity of metal necessary for consumption during eight hours withnormal production. It-can be easily applied to all linotype-machines.

In the accompanying drawings, furnished by way of example, Figure '1 isa view, partly in section, showing the feed device and the metal-pot;Fig. 2 is a section of a detail; Fi 3, a side elevation of the device.Fig. 4 s ows the interior of the magazine. Fig. 5 is a transversesection of the magazine. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are views of the feed-tubewhich conveys theballs of metal to the the Met al-Pot inmetal-pot. Fig.9 is a detailed view, on an enlarged scale, of the mechanism employed indistributing the metal. '1

The device for automaticall feeding the metal-pot consists, substantialy, of a magazine 1, which contains the balls of metal, and is furnishedin the lower part inside with mechanism for distributing these metalballs at certain times by means of some regulating adjustment previouslymade according to the idea of the operator, a feed-pipe 2, Fig. 3,conveying the metal into the metal-pot belonging to thelinotype-machine.

The magazine 1 is charged at the top, and

the metal balls are conveyed and guided toward the outlet 3 b inclinedribs or supports 4, Figs. 4 and 5, xed at each side of the magazine 1.

The re ulating of the discharge of. the metal bal s is effected by meansof a handwheel 5, mounted on a shaft 6, having .a screw-thread andcontrolling a traversing nut 7, Fig. 2, which slides in a guide-sleeve8. The nut 7 is provided with apivot 9, on which a slider 10, whichmoves in the guide lever 11, Fig. 5, is mounted to turn. The guide-lever11 is connected by one of its ends to a rod 12, which carries a ring 13,serving to support the spring 14, which actuates in the usual manner thepump-plunger of the metalpot 15 belonging to the linotype-machine. 16represents the pump-casing, in which the plunger moves, Fig. 1. Eachtime the plunger moves in the usual manner for the purpose of forming aline it lowers the rod 12, so 9 that the lever 11 oscillates around thepivot 9. At 18 on the other end of the lever 11 a rod or connecting-rod17, Figs. 5 and 9, is pin-jointed. The rod 17 is jointed to a bellcranklever 19, which oscillates around the shaft 20 and carries a pawl 21,which engages with the teeth of a toothed wheel 22, keyed to the shaft20. Each time the lever 11 oscillates around the pivot 9 of the slider10 the pawl 21 is moved thereby to a certain extent,

according to the position of the slider 10,

which can be adjusted along the lever 11. by rotating the hand-wheel 5and the screwthreadedshaft 6. .7

The toothed wheel has a fixed number of teeth, some of which are dividedinto two. This division enables the releasing of the metal balls to beregulated in the manner described farther on.

Onto the shaft 20 at the side of the toothed wheel 22 a cam 23, Fig. 9,is fixed, which each time the shaft rotates pushes back a finger 24,pivotally connected with a lever- 25 .and under the action of anopposing spring 26. The lever 25 can turn in the middle around thefulcrum-pin 27 andis pivotally connected by its other end to a rod 28,which is in turn pivotally connected with the'escaper'nent-lever 29,which oscillates around the pivot 30.

Through the action of the cam 23 on the finger 24 the escapement-lever29 gives a passage to the metal ball held by the nose 31, while the nose32 retains the following ball; When a ball has been released, thevarious parts are returned to their original positions y the action ofthe spring 26.

In leaving the magazine 1 the metal ball passes through the tube 2,which will be described farther on, and thus enters the metalpot.

From the foregoing it will be seen that each time the plunger belongingto the linotype-machine actsthat is to say, forms a line in the mannerknownthe awl 21 will pass over one or more teeth on t e wheel 22.

When the plunger resumes its original position, the pawl returns andpushes forward the tooth at which it has stopped, causing the toothedwheel 22, and consequently the cam 23, to rotate to a certain extentdetermined by the position of the slider 10. Thus the position of theslider 10 can be regulated as desiredfor example, twenty strokes of theplunger for one complete revolution of the wheel 22that is to say, forone ball of metal falling into the metal-pot. The consequence of this isthat if the adjustment has been made for twenty lines one ball of metalwill fall into the metal-pot at each twentieth stroke of the plunger.This adjustment may bemade for ten, twelve, twenty, twentyfour, thirty,forty, or sixty lines, and so on at the will of the operator. All thatis required is for him to turn the adjusting hand-wheel 5,

forty strokes-that is to say, each time that bers 10, 12, 15, &c.

which controls the slider 10. On the shaft 6, the screw-threaded part ofwhich actuates the slider 10, a toothed wheel 33 is mounted, Figs. 5 and9, which engages with a wheel 34, keyed to the end of the screw-threadedshaft 35. On the shaft 35 is a traversing nut 36, to whichan indicator37 is fixed, which is arranged on the outside of the magazine 1 andmoves over a scale 38, which bears the num- In consequence of thisarrangement if the adjusting-Wheel 5 be rotated for the purpose of brinin the slider 10 into such a position that a. al of metal may fall intothe metal-pot after twenty strokes of the lunger the indicator 37 stopsopposite the ine marked 20. The adjustme'nt is thus easily efiected. If,for example, it be desired that a ball of metal should fall each timethe plunger has made -weight. metal-pot beneath, the movable part 51 andessary to turn the wheel 5 until the indicator 37 is opposite the linemarked 40. A spring-catch'40, which moves into the holes in a disk 41,keyed to the shaft 6, serves to fix the position of the shaft 6 and tokeep it stationary during the work. A spring 42 is employed for keepingthe cam 23 and the wheel 22 to a certain extent in a rigid state.

To the shaft 20 a small hand-Wheel 39, Fig. 5, is keyed, which in caseof necessity enables the apparatus to be operated by hand and the cam 23to be placed in its starting position for the gradations on the scale38.

The rod 12 is in two parts connected by a nut with right'and leftscrew-thread, which enables the length of the rod to be adjustedaccording to the tension of the spring 14.

Before chargin the magazine 1 a pin or spindle is inserte in the hole44, so that the shock of the balls of metal may not injuriously affectthe escapement-lever 29.

The ball of metal when released being no longer retained leaves themagazine 1 and passes through the piece 45, which is held by thedovetailed. supports 46, Fig. 3. From thence it enters the feed-tube 2.This tube is furnished inside opposite the inlet-opening for the ballwith a spring 47, Fig. 8, intended for deadeninghthe shock. This spring47 adjoins another spring 48 of convex shape ,which runs the wholelength of the feed-tube 2. The spring 48 is intended to act as abrake,so that the shock of the ball in the bottom of the tube 2 may be reducedand the ball arrive in the forty lines have been formed it is only nectoa rod 54, Fig. 8, on which one end of a rod 55 is mounted to turn. Theother end of the rod 55 is slotted and slides on an arm 56 ,fixed on theside of the tube 2 and flattened at 57. This rod prevents the crampingof rod 54 and binding of pivot 53. Through the flattened part 57 slidesa rod 58, which acts as a guide for the spring 59, which holds the stop49 in the stationary position. The opposite end of the rod 58 isconnected with the rod 54.

When the movable part 51 oscillates under the weight of the ball, thespring 59 is compressed and the stop 49 takes the position indicated inFig. 7 and allows the passage of the ball under the influence of thelatters own When the ball has fallen into the the stop 49 return underthe action of the spring 59 to the position indicated in Fig. 6.

- The feed-tube 2 can be unmounted. In order to remove it from thepieces 61 it is only hand-wheel mounted on a screw-threa ed shaft, a'perforated disk keyed to the said shaft, a spring for stopping the saiddisk, a

traversing screw-nut mounted on the shaft, a

slider mounted on the nut, a lever mounted to oscillate around theslider, a rod connected with one of the ends of the said lever, a ringon the rod which acts as an ordinary support to the plunger-spring, arod pivotally connected with the other end of the said lever, abell-crank lever joined to the rod, a pawl mounted on the bell-cranklever and adapted to engage with a ratchet-wheel, a cam, a

shaft arranged to support the cam, the.

ratchet-wheel and the bell-crank lever, a

finger actuated by the said cam, and an 'e'sc'apement-lever controlledby the said finger and allowing a passage for the balls, one by one,each time that the said toothed wheel effects a complete revolution, asdescribed.

'2. In an automatic feed device for the screw-spindle to theregulating-shaft, a'

traversing nut mounted on the screwspindle, an indicator arranged on thesaid nut and a graduated scale placed outside the magazine as describedabove.

3. In an automatic feed device for the metal-pots of linotype-machin'es,mechanism enabling the discharge of the balls to be regulated inaccordance with a certain number of strokes of the plunger and comprisina hand-wheel mounted on a' screw-threa ed shaft, a perforated disk keyedto the said shaft, a spring for stopping the 'said disk, a traversingscrew-nut mounted on the shaft, a slider mounted on the nut, a levermounted to oscillate around the slider, a rod connected with one of theends'of the said lever, a ring on the rod which acts as an ordinarysupport to the plunger-spring, a rod pivotally connected with the otherend of the said lever, a bell-crank lever joined to the rod, a pawlmounted on the bell-crank lever and adapted to engage with aratchet-Wheel, a cam, a shaft arranged to support the cam, theratchet-wheel and the bell-crank lever, a finger actuated by the saidcam, an escapement-lever controlled by the said fin er and allowing apassage for the balls, one y one, each time that the said toothed wheeleffects a complete revolution, and a hand-wheel keyed to the shaft whichcarries the toothed wheel and the cam and enabling the machine to beworked by hand in case of necessity.

4. In an automatic feed device for the metal-pots of linotype-machines,charged by means of balls of metal, a feed-tube for conveying the ballsto the metal-pot, a spring mounted inside the vertical part fordeadening theshock of the balls and a spring acting gs 1sli'brakeformoderating the fall of the said In testimony whereof I have aflixed mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

, r EUGENE TRAMA. Witnesses:

PAUL H. ORAM, HUBERT RIVIERE.

